Manchester City secured a thrilling 5-2 victory over Crystal Palace in a Premier League clash at the Etihad Stadium, with Kevin De Bruyne proving instrumental in orchestrating a stunning comeback. The Belgian maestro, in what he has confirmed will be his final season with the club, delivered a vintage performance that reminded fans why he’s regarded as one of the greatest midfielders in Premier League history.
The match began disastrously for City, who found themselves 2-0 down within the opening 20 minutes. Eberechi Eze opened the scoring with a clinical finish, capitalizing on a defensive lapse, before Chris Richards headed in from a set-piece to stun the home crowd. Palace even had a third goal disallowed for offside, which could have put the game out of reach early on.
However, De Bruyne, wearing the captain’s armband, refused to let the game slip away. In the 33rd minute, he sparked City’s fightback with a beautifully curled free-kick that clipped the post and nestled into the bottom corner, reducing the deficit to 2-1. The goal shifted the momentum, and De Bruyne’s influence grew as he began to dictate the tempo of the game.
Just before halftime, De Bruyne’s vision set up City’s equalizer. Linking up with Nico Gonzalez, he delivered a precise pass to Omar Marmoush, who smashed home from close range to make it 2-2. The Etihad erupted, and City went into the break level, largely thanks to their talisman’s brilliance.
The second half saw City come out with renewed intensity, and De Bruyne continued to pull the strings. Early in the half, he laid off a clever pass to Mateo Kovacic, who rifled a shot into the net to give City a 3-2 lead. De Bruyne’s ability to find space and create chances in a chaotic, end-to-end game was pivotal, as Palace’s high-pressing defense struggled to contain him.
City’s fourth goal came courtesy of James McAtee, who latched onto a pinpoint throughball from goalkeeper Ederson—another play initiated by De Bruyne’s movement off the ball, which dragged defenders out of position. Nico O’Reilly sealed the victory with a stunning volley, capping off a memorable afternoon for the hosts.
De Bruyne’s individual stats underlined his dominance: one goal, one assist, three chances created, five duels won, and an impressive 91% pass accuracy. His ability to thrive in an open game, where he had space to exploit, was highlighted by manager Pep Guardiola post-match. “Kevin has done this for many, many years,” Guardiola said. “He played fantastic and helped us break their momentum. The gratitude we have for him is huge.”